There are people in seven Congressional districts probably today as consarned and concussed as I am. The people of the eighth district would belong to Matt Gaetz and they have known for a while that he is non-strategic thinker and hot-head. As one of the constituents of the Second Congressional of Tennessee, I was/am proud to support Tim Burchett. A steady, thoughtful man, he has been my state rep, County Mayor, and Congressional Representative. He is not known for being capricious or thoughtless. His being part of the Great Speaker Ouster Caper felt like a body blow. I know many of my fellow East Tennesseans are whooping with joy. Some of us are just confused.
It was so strange for Tim Burchett to follow Matt Gaetz down this road, when Burchett held steady through all 15 rounds of Speaker voting last January. Plus, Burchett claims friendship with Kevin McCarthy. With friends like this, you know! Plus, Burchett and the other Conservative Republican renegades voted with Democrats to oust the Speaker. Speaker McCarthy was probably shocked that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her puppet Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t tell one or two Dem members to vote for McCarthy after all McCarthy did for Pelosi over the years.
No matter how much I dislike McCarthy, I don’t like public squabbles. That was part of what bothered me about the 15 votes in January. They knew this votes was coming. Why didn’t they plan for it? Where was leadership? It doesn’t sound like things got any better once McCarthy had the Speaker’s gavel.
Burchett and McCarthy WERE friends. Tim Burchett said that he had prayed about the Great Speaker Ouster Caper but was willing to listen to McCarthy when McCarthy was condescending to him about his prayer. That was part of this angry exchange with Fox’s Brian Kilmeade:
If you can’t watch the video, here is this from the Washington Examiner:
In a heated exchange, the host asked Burchett why he would vote for the motion, along with seven other Republicans, when “the most conservative guy I know, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH),” voted against it. “Why are you smarter than Jim Jordan and 210+ Republicans? Why are you smarter?” he prompted the representative.
“I represent my district, brother. And why are you smarter than me? You are condemning me because I stand up on my own, and that’s what I do,” Burchett responded.
“I’m questioning you. You don’t like being questioned?” Kilmeade hit back.
“The line of questioning is very negative, and you know that, and I know that, and when this is all over with, and we have a new speaker, and we’re running smooth, let’s have this conversation again,” the representative said.
Towards the end of the interview, Kilmeade says that Kevin McCarthy says he wasn’t condescending to Burchett. Surprise, according to Tim Burchett, he has audiotapes confirming the conversation. From the Daily Beast:
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told CNN on Wednesday morning that he recorded his Monday night call with Kevin McCarthy that featured the since-ousted Speaker of the House “belittling” the Tennessee lawmaker. Burchett, who was one of eight Republicans to vote to remove McCarthy from his speakership, said on Tuesday that it was McCarthy’s mockery of his pre-vote prayer session that “sealed it right there for me.” With McCarthy denying that he ridiculed the congressman for praying on the decision, Burchett appeared on CNN on Wednesday morning and revealed he taped their conversation. “I have a recording of what was said,” he said, adding that “the conversation went on in a belittling tone.” While noting that he’s “got it just in case I need it,” Burchett stated that he’s “not going to do anything with it” and doesn’t plan on sharing it.
Part of what help me was the video that Burchett made explaining his Airing of Grievances in the Republican Festivus:
My decision on Motion to Vacate and how I came to it. pic.twitter.com/kePHTSHUlw
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) October 3, 2023
Burchett was frustrated because “September comes around every year” and McCarthy wasn’t working on the individuals bills. Burchett didn’t want another Omnibus bill. Also there was no need to take six weeks off in the Summer.
These are all valid reasons not to continue with McCarthy’s Speakership. But, excuse me. It would have been nice to have a plan. Before you blow something up, you should have a plan to replace it. The Great Speaker Ouster Caper just looked childish. However, better blow it up now than next July.
I look forward to seeing my Congresscritter at Veteran’s Day and Dogwood Arts Festival events.
Featured Image: Toni S. Williams/All Rights Reserved
GWB says: His being part of the Great Speaker Ouster Caper felt like a body blow.
Why? You just admitted he’s not thoughtless or capricious. He’s a “steady, thoughtful man” in your opinion.
Maybe, if he disagrees with you, you should consider what’s wrong with your opinion, Toni. You’ve been sidling up to the line that bounds the “surrender caucus” with all of this kerfuffle. I want to know what possible loss to America and the Constitution can come from this that isn’t already coming?
Do you really think that some erstwhile actual conservatives are now going to NOT vote Republican next November? Do you really think THIS bleating about stupid the Republicans are by the media will strip votes from Republicans? Puhlease.
I’m glad someone is finally pushing to get the cart out of the rut. Maybe we can encourage a few more to get OFF the damn cart and start pushing, too. Heck, we might even get a Republic out of it, some day!
Toni Williams says: My dearest GWB-
Please forgive my lack of fortitude. This is my first revolution. I see it coming, but don’t know next steps. The body and spirit are willing, but the mind loves 21st century modcons.
Toni
GWB says: And I will admit I laughed at that. Nicely done reply.
Douglas says: Why have a plan when the existing situation is a losing one? Best to cast your dice into the air and see how they fall, when you know that the current environment is one that is poisonous and dangerous to the ideals you hold.
A lot of people who are middle class are perfectly comfortable in their lives, but they ain’t congress rich with the free pay they get from their grift. Why not toss the dice and see how they land?
It’s always the excuse of endless wars, and appeasement that “The next guy will likely be worse.” validating nation building, or a tolerance for oppression. Why can’t someone, who is a part of his ALLIES say, “this guy betrayed me, I want something new?”
Macarthy did betray us, Oh, for only 45 days, JUST 45 Days, What’s 45 Days? It’s just 45 DAYS! 15 more days and that’s grounds for a divorce in the few states that have required seperation. I don’t like the egotism of Gaetz, I never liked him, but he’s right in his arguments.
Whoevers next? Who cares, but whoever’s next will be held to the same account.
KEEP YOUR PROMISES
GWB says: but he’s right in his arguments.
QFT
GWB says: Before you blow something up, you should have a plan to replace it.
Maybe you need to blow it up just to blow it up. And maybe once it’s gone you can get more people to see what was behind it and THEN come up with a plan.
Of course, I also haven’t heard you put forth a plan that you had prior to that moment, either.
How can you blow up a plan that doesn’t exist? McCarthy had no plan – beyond “business as usual.”
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